Brahms' Requiem

Brahms' Requiem

Introducing the Santa Barbara Symphony Chorus

Saturday, April 26, 2025 | 7:30pm

Sunday, April 27, 2025 | 3:00pm

The Granada Theatre.

Concert Duration: Approximately 90 minutes

LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS PROGRAM

Attend the Pre-Concert Conversation
Saturday, April 26, 6:30 – 7:00 PM
Host: Symphony Chorus member and local musicologist Ben Pringle 

Sunday, April 27, 2:00 – 2:30 PM
Host: KUSC Classical California on-air host Jennifer Miller Hammel 

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Click Here to Download the Program Notes

Click Here to Download the Program Text

Digital Program: Coming Soon

Brahms labored for over a decade to craft his monumental A German Requiem — a work that would be his grandest, perhaps even his greatest! Consoled by the Psalms, the gospels, and the prophets, Brahms set their words to music. Now, Maestro Nir Kabaretti leads the orchestra, Soprano Magdalena Kuźma (a Music Academy of the West alumna), Baritone Daniel Scofield, and the debut of The Symphony Chorus — more than 200 performers on stage together — in this breathtaking performance.

Adding another layer of depth and introspection to the program is Mahler’s hauntingly beautiful Three Rückert-Lieder — a set of emotionally nuanced songs composed between 1901 and 1902, based on the poetry of Friedrich Rückert. 

“This program is a testament to the emotional power of music,” said Music & Artistic Director Nir Kabaretti. “Brahms and Mahler had a shared connection in their exploration of human themes such as love, loss, and renewal. This program not only honors Brahms’ vision of a ‘Human Requiem’ but it also amplifies the concert’s emotional impact.”

The Artists

Nir Kabaretti, conductor
Magdalena Kuźma, soprano*
Daniel Scofield, baritone
Santa Barbara Symphony Chorus

* Ms. Kuźma is an alumna of Music Academy of the West

Repertoire

Mahler | Three Rückert-Lieder

Brahms | A German Requiem

Polish- American soprano Magdalena Kuźma is promptly establishing a name for herself in both  concert and operatic repertoire with critics at Opera News raving about her “star quality” and  “strikingly good technique.” She is a proud alumna of Music Academy of the West. Seen and Heard International’s Rick Perdian describes her talent as  “a voice that instantly engages the listener: shining, free, and lustrous.” 

A current Metropolitan Opera Lindemann Young Artist, Magdalena made her mainstage Met debut  in the 23-24 season as Giannetta in L’elisir d’amore, followed by Juliette in Gounod’s Roméo et  Juliette at The Glimmerglass Festival. This season at the Metropolitan Opera, she sings Sister  Catherine in the premiere of Dead Man Walking, Papagena in The Magic Flute, and Yvette in La  Rondine. This summer, she makes her role debut as Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro as a Fleming  Artist at the Aspen Music Festival. Previous roles include Pamina in Die Zauberflöte at Opera  Orlando, Frasquita in Carmen at Santa Fe Opera, Adina in L’elisir d’amore at Yale Opera, Lila in  Cold Mountain with Music Academy of the West, Blanche in Dialogues de Carmélites and Anna  in Die Sieben Todsünden with Oberlin Opera, Miles in Turn of the Screw and Giannetta in  L’elisir d’amore at Chautauqua Opera, and Drusilla in L’incoronazione di Poppea at Teatro  Petrarca.  

An avid recitalist, Kuźma recently performed with LyricFest and made her Wigmore debut with  leading song pianist, James Baillieu. Later this year she debuts various programs at The Green  Music Center, Merkin Hall, Newport Classical Music Festival, Bruno Walter Theater, and  the Society of the Four Arts. Next season, she looks forward to a recital with the Cincinnati  Song Initiative.  

On the concert stage, she was the soprano soloist in Mahler’s Symphony No. 4 with Richmond  Symphony. She looks forward to returning to Mahler No. 4 this summer with Utah Symphony. In  the 24-25 season, Kuźma sings the solos in Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 with Santa Rosa  Symphony and Brahm’s Ein Deutsches Requiem with Santa Barbara Symphony.  

Well known in the competition circuit, Kuźma won first place in the Butler International, SAS  Performing Arts, Opera Ithaca, ACPC Sembrich, Pasadena Opera, Mississippi Opera, Partners for  the Arts, and Concert Artists Guild competitions; placed second at the Metropolitan Opera  Regionals, Rochester International, Washington International, and Shreveport Opera competitions;  placed third with Audience Favorite in the National Opera Association Competition and the Fort  Worth Opera: McCammon Competition; and placed fourth in the Opera Birmingham Competition. 

Magdalena Kuźma holds multiple degrees in music and social neuroscience from The Juilliard  School, Oberlin College & Conservatory, and Yale University. During her studies at Yale, she  received the Dean’s Award: the highest award of excellence and was also honored as valedictorian.  She is also a proud alumna of San Francisco Opera’s Merola Opera Program, Santa Fe Opera,  Ravinia Festival, Renée Fleming’s SongStudio at Carnegie Hall, Houston Grand Opera’s Young  Artists Vocal Academy, Music Academy of the West, Chautauqua Institute, and The Bach Institute  at Emmanuel Music. 

Celebrated for his “richly shaded” (Operawire), “booming voice, and full range” (Houston Press), baritone Daniel Scofield is quickly garnering attention as a dramatic baritone on the rise who performs leading roles regularly in the United States and Internationally.

Recent debuts include the Glyndebourne Festival Opera, Prague State Opera, Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester, Fort Worth Opera, with additional engagements with the Teatro San Carlo, Lyric Opera Chicago, Houston Symphony and more.

A notable interpreter of Verdi, he has already sung the leading roles in I Vespri Siciliani, Rigoletto, La Traviata, and been engaged for Macbeth, Don Carlos, and Aida. Daniel has also triumphed as Jack Rance in La Fanciulla Del West, Scarpia in Tosca, Tonio in Pagliacci, and Alfio in Cavalleria Rusticana. Praised for his nuanced characterizations, Daniel has begun earning recognition for his lyrical vocal technique, expressive musicality, dramatic range, and stylistic integrity.

In 2024/25 Daniel will travel to Germany, where he creates a new production of Pagliacci with Staatstheater Hannover. In the spring he makes a double debut, as he joins Opera Carolina as Escamillo in Carmen. Further engagements include a return to the State Opera Prague in Cavalleria Rusticana/Pagliacci, where he will make his debut in May as the titular character in Der Fliegende Holländer.

He began the 2023/24 season with a return to the Prague State Opera for Pagliacci/Cavalleria Rusticana (Tonio/Alfio) in a revival of last season’s critically acclaimed new production by Ondrej Havelka. Additional season engagements include returns to Opera Orlando for Tosca (Scarpia), Opera Baltimore for Eugene Onegin in the title role and debuts with Fort Worth Opera La Bohème (Marcello), and his Houston Symphony debut in Salome

The 2022-2023 season saw Daniel making several important debuts and premieres. In September he traveled to Berlin to perform Dame Ethel Smyth’s Les Naufrageurs for the radio in the original French with the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester under Maestro Robin Ticciati before returning to the Lyric Opera of Chicago in Sir David McVicar’s production of Don Carlos. He also joined the Teatro di San Carlo in Naples in their production of Die Walküre  and returned to the Prague State Opera in their double bill of Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci, in a new production by Ondřej Havelka.

Previously, he made his Glyndebourne Opera debut as Marcello in La Bohéme, his Prague State Opera debut as the Count in Der ferne Klang, and joined the Lyric Opera of Chicago for their production of Macbeth. Recent engagements include Marcello in La Bohéme with Charlottesville Opera, Montforte in I Vespri Siciliani with New Amsterdam Opera, and Cavalleria Rusticana/Pagliacci with Lyric Opera of Chicago, which was among the cancellations of 2020.

Daniel Scofield is a two-time regional finalist of the Metropolitan Opera Eric and Dominique Laffont Competition and a recipient of the Olga Forrai Foundation grant for dramatic voices in opera. ​Apart from his opera performances, Mr. Scofield is also highly regarded as a concert performer. He has showcased his talents with orchestras across the country, including the Plano Symphony, Fort Wayne Philharmonic, and Indiana University Orchestra, among others. His concert repertoire includes works by Haydn, Handel, Britten, Stravinsky, and Mahler.

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Throughout the season, we anticipate evolving guidelines which may impact policies on mask wearing, proof of vaccination, low-touch ticketing, concessions, and more

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*Program content and concert dates may be subject to change: check our website for regular updates.

Nir Kabaretti

is The Santa Barbara Symphony's World-Renowned Music & Artistic Director
Nir Kabaretti has worked with some of the world’s most sought-after musicians. Some of his most well-known collaborators include Lang Lang, Placido Domingo, Joyce Di Donato, Angel Joy Blue, Vadim Repin, Gilles Apap, Hélène Grimaud, and André Watts.

Nir Kabaretti

is The Santa Barbara Symphony's World-Renowned Music & Artistic Director
Nir Kabaretti has worked with some of the world’s most sought-after musicians. Some of his most well-known collaborators include Lang Lang, Placido Domingo, Joyce Di Donato, Angel Joy Blue, Vadim Repin, Gilles Apap, Hélène Grimaud, and André Watts.

A very warm and special thank you
to our 2024/25 season donors and the sponsors making
this event possible!

Concert
Sponsors
Principal Concert Sponsor
Todd & Allyson Aldrich
Choral Sponsor
Todd & Allyson Aldrich
Anonymous
Dick & Marilyn Mazess
Paul & Susan Zink
Artist Sponsor
Susan Aberle
Selection Sponsors
Chris Lancashire
Omega Financial Group
Jean Rogers
Wallin Studios

2024/25 Concert Season Sponsor

Sarah & Roger Chrisman

Corporate Season Sponsor

Grand Venue Sponsor

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